Turntable Labs, the company behind the new social music platform Hangout, announced an extended seed round totaling $8.2 million ahead of its public launch. Hangout, which enables music fans, coworkers, and other communities to gather, DJ together, and interact in a playful virtual setting, is expected to go live later this year.
Launched by Joseph Perla, one of the original minds behind the beloved music service Turntable.fm, Hangout is the manifestation of the original concept the founder & CEO envisioned for the social listening platform over a decade ago.
Inspired by the social impact of listening to music with others, Hangout’s game-like features address the missing layer of excitement and connection most virtual social experiences lack. And virtual DJ booths provide users the opportunity to spin their selected tracks exclusively for themselves and their friends, in addition to public themed rooms based on their tastes and interests. Custom avatars can bop on the dancefloor, upvoting their favorite tunes, while chat options keep the party lively by encouraging connections new and old.
The latest iteration will integrate new features for launch including voice chat and mobile apps for iOS and Android, improve on the beloved basic premise of social listening and making it easy for music lovers, artists, entertainers, and influencers to play music and hang out together with friends, creators, colleagues, and fellow fans.
Along with enabling Hangout’s official public launch slated for later this year, the funds will enable the company to further expand its engineering infrastructure team in preparation to support millions of active users at scale across the platform’s listening rooms and special events.
Hangout is engaged with partners in the music industry in order to be fully legal and licensed for the upcoming launch. Fans can sign up to get onto the Hangout waitlist for its invite-only beta, with full public launch coming later in 2024.
KEY QUOTES:
“Hangout is pioneering a new era in music streaming services by integrating social media at its core. Throughout history, music has been social, participatory, and an integral part of community identity. We are thrilled to partner with Hangout as a platform that enhances music discovery, promotes active listening, and brings pure enjoyment to both music lovers and artists in ways previously unimaginable before the internet, and excited to begin a new chapter for social music streaming globally.”
– Will McClelland, Co-founder & General Partner at Elizabeth Street Ventures
“We’re thrilled to support Hangout as it leads the way in this next evolution of social music, paving the path for a new era of digital community. In an era where digital connections are increasingly central to our lives, Hangout is at the forefront of revolutionizing how we experience music online. By combining music with social interaction, it offers a new way to build shared experiences and strengthen community bonds online.”
– Florian Leibert of 468 Capital
“We’ve created Hangout with a positive-sum approach in mind. People need joyful, meaningful social experiences online: music can facilitate that. And music needs more and more compelling ways to reach people and bring them together. Hangout accomplishes both, as one of the first truly participatory places online for music enjoyment and real-time social interaction.”
– Joseph Perla
